Electric-lighting apparatus.



W. H. HONSBERGER.

ELEGIRIC LEGHTING APP,ARATUS..

APPLICATION man JULY so, 1917.

1,256,691. Patented Feb. 19,1918.

WILLIAM HENRY HONSBERGER, OF WELLAND, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T0 GEORGE C. BROWN, OF WELLAND, ONTARIO, CANADA.

ELECTRIC-LIGHTING nrrima'rus.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application filed July 30, 1917. Serial No. 183,608.

To all wh'om it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM HENRYHoxscnnenn, of the town of Welland, in the county of Welland andProvince of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Electric- Lighting Apparatus; and I herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same.

In my concurrent application for Letters Patent of the United States,Serial No. 122,913, filed September 29th, 1916, I have shown anddescribed an electric lighting ap paratus for vehicles, comprising aswitchcontrolled headlight circuit, a switch-controlled resistor circuitconnected with the headlight circuit, an auxiliary light circuitconnected with the resistor circuit, and a switch-controlled shuntcircuit connected with the auxiliary light circuit, the circuits beingso arranged that the closing of the headlight, resistor and shuntcircuits will cut out the resistor and auxiliary lights for thebrilliant illumination of the headlights, and the opening of theresistor circuit and the closing of the headlight and shunt circuitswill place the resistor in series with the headlights for the dimmingthereof, without illuminating the auxiliary light, and the opening ofthe shunt circuit and the closing of the headlight and resistor circuitswill cut out the resistor and place the auxiliary light in series withthe headlights for the brilliant illumination of the auxiliary light andthe dimming of the headlights.

My present invention relates to an electric lighting apparatus forvehicles, in which the circuits may be selectively controlled for thebrilliant illumination of the headlights and the non-illumination of theauxiliary light, the dimming of the headlights and the nonilluminationof the auxiliary light, and the dimming of the headlights and thebrilliant illumination of the auxiliary light; and it consistsessentiallyota switch-controlled 'lnain lighting circuit, a shuntresistor circuit connected with the main lighting circuit, and aswitch-controlled auxiliary lighting circuit connected with the mainlighting circuit, whereby the closing of the main lighting circuit forthe brilliant illumination of the main lights will open theauxiliarylighting circuit; and the closing of the auxiliary lighting circuit forthe brilliant illumination of the auxiliary light will open the main thecontacts h and m, the auxiliary lighting circuit and shunt part of thecurrent through the resistor for the dimming ot the main lights; and theopening of the main and auxiliary lighting circuits will shunt thecurrent through the resistor for the dimming of the main lights and thenonillumination of the auxiliary light.

The'drawing represents a diagrammatic View illustrating the arrangementof circuits. V

(1 represents the source of current, which may consist of a storage orother battery. 6 represents a conductor leading from the source ofcurrent a to the contact 0 of the mainswitch 0. (Z represents aconductor leading from the contact 0 ofthe main switch 0 t0 the contact6 of the control switch 7. 9 represents a conductor leading from thecontact h of the control switch f to the lamps i of the headlights j. 70represents the return conductor from the lamps i to the source ofcurrent a. Z represents a conductor leading from the contact my to thelamp 0 of the auxiliary light p. is represents a return conductorleading from the lamp 0 01 the auxiliary light to the return conductor7c, and 1" represents a resistor in shunt to the conductors d and g.

For the operation of the lighting apparatus, the main switch 0 isclosed, so that the currentmay circuit from the source a, conductor 6,switch 0, to the conductor (5. When the switch f is in a neutralposition between light p is cut out and the current passe from theconductor 0?, by means of the resistor 1', conductor g, headlight lampsz' and return conductor 7a, to the source of current a, the headlightlamps, during this circuit. being dimmed to the extent of the resistanceoffered by the resistor r,

When the switch f closes the circuit from the contact e to the contacth, the current passes from the conductor cl, by means of the switch f,conductor g, lamps of the headlights j and return conductor in to thesource of current, this being the direct circuit from the source ofcurrent a to the lamps of the headlights, and which. when closed,renders the resistor inactive, and cuts out the auxiliary lightingcircuit so that the full strength of the currentv may be utilized forthe brilliant illumination of the headlight lamps.

When the switch f is moved to close the circuit from the contact: e tothe contact m, the current passes from the conductor (Z, by means of theswitch 7', contact m and conductor Z, to the lamp 0 of the auxiliarylight p, returning from the lamp by means of the conductor is to thereturn conductor is, this circuit brilliantly illuminating the auxiliarylamp, part of the current finding its way to the headlights and dimlyilluminating them.

By means of this apparatus, it is possible: (a) to dim the headlightswithout illuminating the auxiliary light, when traveling through cities,towns and villages; (b) to brilliantly illuminate the headlights whentraveling on dark roadways, without illuminating the auxiliary light;and (a) to dim the headlight when approaching other Vehicles orpedestrians, and illuminate the auxiliary light, which may be directedto the road-side.

While the use of the apparatus; has been described in connection withthe headlights, I wish it tobe understood that it may also be used inconnection with the side lights, and that therefore, the term.headlights will be construed to mean the main lights of the vehicle.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent; is

An electric lighting apparatus for'vehicles, comprising a three-contactswitch, headlights, a conductor from the source of 'current to onecontact of the switch, a con- WILLIAM HENRY HON SBERGER.

Signed in the gresence of LYNN S. PENCER, ESTELLE PHILLIPS.

